sunset.

as long as i can remember, i've always enjoyed sunsets. watching creation yawn in front of you is rather...captivating.
one of the few things on my agenda while on vacation this week was to savor a minnesota sunset. i had the opportunity to do so thursday evening.
i pulled up a chair (the ground was a lil too muddy for me to comfortably enjoy the view), and as i settled in to take in the view, i picked up my bible and started thumbing through it. Lamentations came to mind and i was taken aback as i read this:

"i'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison i've swallowed,
i remember it all-oh, how well i remember-
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
but there's one other thing i remember,
and remembering, i keep a grip on hope:

god's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
they're created new every morning.
how great you faithfulness!
i'm sticking with god (i say it over and over),
he's all i've got left.

god proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
it's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from god.
it's a good thing when you'r young
to stick it out through the hard times.

when life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. enter the silence.
bow in prayer. don't ask questions:
wait for hope to appear.
don't run from trouble. take it full-face.
the "worst" is never the worst.

why? because the master won't ever
walk out and fail to return.
if he works severely, he also works tenderly.
his stockpiles of love are immense.
he takes no pleasure in making life hard,
in throwing roadblocks in the way"

it was such a breath of fresh air to me.
no matter how grim things look around me, it could always be worse. just the reminder of no matter what crap i might be dealing with...dad's love out trumps all of that. every time. every time.

how very humbling. and wonderfully reassuring.